OUR CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI: While the anti-Bangladeshi immigrants move of the Assam Government has been hailed widely, the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) and Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) in Assam’s Tinsukia district expressed strong apprehensions regarding the stalled relocation of the pending 412 families of Laika to Paharpur area under Lekhapani forest range of Digboi division in Assam’s Tinsukia district. According to Mintu Raj Morang, the former Vice-President of TMPK central committee, the Assam Government led by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has failed to rehabilitate the displaced families as assured.
“The government failed to relocate the full set of families intended for Paharpur,” alleged the TMPK leader, adding that among 572 Laika families, 160 received land in approximately 72 hectares of the Namphai Tapu area while 412 still remained pending in Paharpur wherein 166 hectares have already been earmarked by the government.
“The entire process remains delayed, incomplete, and unimplemented. Several families are still living in temporary camps waiting for the relocation,” said Morang who presently holds the office of the central executive member of the MMK.
“If at all the surveyed and proposed Paharpur area belongs to the government, what then has impeded the forest department so far to further the process,” wondered the leader.
Meanwhile, sources with the forest department when contacted told that out of 166 hectares of Paharpur RF, 80 percent had been encroached for tea cultivation for decades. “Encroachment status along with relevant data has already been escalated for further perusal by higher authority,” informed a reliable source on the condition of anonymity, adding that only the eviction order is awaited.” MK Yadav, the Special Chief Secretary (Forest), also visited the encroached site at Paharpur RF and took stock of the situation earlier in June 2025.
Sources revealed that the failure of the forest department to evict the encroached reserve forest land has impeded the said relocation process for the past four years.
Significantly, multiple local tribal student unions and organizations from the Naga community strongly opposed rehabilitation of Laika families in Paharpur, citing ethnic rights, demographic impact, and legal provisions under Assam Land & Revenue Regulation, 1886. They warned that it would disrupt social cohesion, provoke inter-community strife, and violate land and forest regulations.
In October 2023, multiple student unions and local organizations, including Tangsa, Sema, Sonowal Kachari, and others, had publicly denounced the government’s e-tender for development works (boundary walls, housing, water supply) in Paharpur RF, stating it was arbitrary and ignored ethnic land rights. They had also demanded immediate cancellation of the e-tender. While the Mising organizations have a pro-relocation stance and defend rehabilitation as rights-based, local resistance from Naga tribal groups and student unions have also emerged on the other hand.
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